The hair conditioner compositions of the present invention provide hair conditioning, de-tangling, frizz control, and reduced flyaways without weighing down the hair. These benefits can now be obtained in a visually clear composition. The latter aspect of the present invention is a particular aesthetic benefit in view of the fact that many hair conditioners are opaque suspensions. Opaque suspensions are often associated with increased conditioning since conditioning agents are more freely available to attach to the hair. It is unusual for these hair conditioning benefits to be obtained without weighing the hair down, making the hair feel heavy or greasy or reducing hair volume. In contrast, these benefits are obtained herein using a combination of high levels of PEG/PPG silicone surfactants together with a cationic polymeric thickener. Thus, the hair conditioning benefits are provided without requiring use of traditional conditioning ingredients. The high level of PEG/PPG silicone surfactant permits the unexpected dispersal of the cationic polymeric thickener, which is important in providing a clear composition.
Currently hair conditioning technologies utilize emulsions containing:
1. fatty alcohols for feel and formulation consistency and viscosity (e.g., lauryl, myristyl, cetyl, stearyl, behenyl alcohols);
2. alkyl quaternary ammonium compounds to act as emulsifiers and detangling agents (e.g., cetrimonium chloride, steartrimonium chloride, behentrimonium chloride, behentrimonium methosulfate, quaternium-91, dicetyl dimonium chloride, distearyldimonium chloride); and
3. oil agents to increase conditioning—these are materials which are either not soluble or not dispersible in water (e.g., vegetable-derived triglycerides, animal-derived triglycerides, mineral oils, esters, ethers, silicone oils, such as dimethicone or amodimethicone).
These emulsions and materials contribute conditioning and detangling benefits to the hair, but also weigh it down and make the hair feel heavy or greasy when dry. The present invention offers the benefits of conditioning, detangling, fizz control, and reduced flyaways, without weighing the hair down, making the hair feel heavy or greasy, or reducing hair volume.
U.S. Published Patent Application 2008/0124298, Hoffmann et al., published May 29, 2008, describes a conditioner composition which provides shine to hair. The composition is formulated using synthetic mica coated with a metal oxide material. The disclosed composition can optionally include PEG/PPG dimethicone as an emulsifier and a cationic polyquaternary polymer to hold hair in place.
U.S. Published Patent Application 2012/0251473, Knappe et al., published Oct. 4, 2012, describes a composition for treating hair which includes a cosmetic carrier, at least one cyclic siloxane, at least one C8-C30 alkyl PEG/PPG dimethicone, and at least one cationic protein hydrolysate.
U.S. Published Patent Application 2011/0293551, Molenda et al., published Dec. 1, 2011, defines a leave-in hair conditioner in the form of a water-in-oil emulsion which comprises an oil component, a silicone surfactant (which can be PEG/PPG dimethicone), an alkoxylated hydroxylated amino silicone, and water.
U.S. Published Patent Application 2011/0110992, Garrison et al., published May 12, 2011, defines a composition for reducing hair frizziness which comprises a particulate surface-modified aluminum hydroxide material, together with a hydrophobic film former. The composition may include PEG/PPG dimethicones as a water-in-silicone emulsifier and also may optionally include polyquaternium materials.